Four Policemen To Be Tried For Corruption

The Lagos State Police Command have arrested and charged for trial four policemen attached to Ijanikin Division for allegedly dispossessing one Theodore Ifunnaya of 350,000 CFA (about N221,508).

The Policemen will be trialled for alleged corrupt practices and shoddy investigation into the case of one Theodore Ifunanya, who was arrested on suspicion of involvement in armed robbery.

Oti said that the policemen faced dismissal if found guilty, stressing, however, that the victim was not stripped naked during interrogation as being alleged in some quarters.

He added that the Edgal Imohimi, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, who was briefed about the activities of the police officers attached to the Ijanikin Police Division, ordered their arrest and trial in an orderly room.

Oti said, “The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Edgal Imohimi, has ordered the arrest and trial of four policemen attached to the Ijanikin Division for an alleged corrupt practice and shoddy investigation.

“The officers, Inspector Amiete, Sergeant Gbemunu Samuel, Sergeant Afolabi Oluwaseun and Corporal Adigun Omotayo, had arrested one Ifunanya Theodore on suspicion of involvement in armed robbery on Monday, December 17, 2018, and in the course of investigation, recovered the sum of CFA350,000 from him.

“After the investigation, the said Ifunanya Theodore was exonerated of the allegation. However, when his request for the release of his money was not attended to, he called the Area Commander in charge of Area K, Morogbo, ACP Hope Okafor, who directed that his money be released to him without delay.

“Meanwhile, the CP was briefed that the aforementioned police operatives were not at their professional best while handling the case. Consequently, he directed the head of the command’s Provost Section to arrest, investigate and try the officers involved in the orderly room, and if found guilty, appropriate punishment will be meted to them.”

NAN gathered that having satisfied they had subdued their victim with a threat, they allegedly released him and gave him N2000 out of his money, to enable him locate his Lagos residence.

It was further learnt that the victim, after regaining freedom from his alleged police captors, told his family all he went through, which led to a complaint to Area ‘K’ Commander, ACP Hope Okafor.

ACP Okafor was said to have intervened by recovering the stolen money and arrested the erring policemen for interrogation